One Last Glimpse
by elven-faerie.aerowin
Summary: Life and love has many ways of expressing itself. In addition, the small blessings we receive come to us in many forms. This story revolves around the Great Hanshin Earthquake and the love between couples.


AN: I made this story two years ago but the characters were different. This was actually made for an English project. Anyways, please enjoy.

It was the 17th of January 1995; the clouds were like sheets of feather covering the dim sky.

The room was cold; its bare walls doing nothing to keep what little warmth it had inside. Her tiny feet brushed against the ice-cold floor, her legs dangling slightly off the edge of the chair and felt the bite of the chill.

The ring of the phone broke the eerie silence. Fuuko picked up the ringing phone with her cold hand and said, "Good morning, Mikagami Fuuko speaking."

"Fuuko, it's me, Tokiya. I'll be going back to Osaka this morning. So please meet me at the Daikai Station." Tokiya said. "I'll be expecting you there."

"That's great! I'll come as soon as I can." She smiled. "See you."

Tokiya hung up with a smile on his face. He went inside the train and took a seat on the far end. The train began to move after a few minutes later and in a little while; they'll see each other again after two whole months. The sun just started to rise and tiny dewdrops formed from the mist.

Fuuko walked on the streets of Umeda making her way to the station. She walked with ease but with a bit of tension as well. It was the perfect time to tell her husband that they will be having their first child. She went inside the station's café, waiting for her husband.

No one knew when it had begun, or why, or even how. It was as if the very earth shook with enraged fury, the earth feeling as if she were about to crack in two beneath their very feet. It was happening so quickly, so unexpectedly, that no one was prepared for such anger, such danger.

Tokiya, who was still seated, felt the train move with such power. He panicked yet he tried to be relaxed. A strong earthquake was occurring. Before he could even take a breath, the train shook severely. He prayed — heeding for the safety of the others, especially his wife's. It felt like a roller coaster ride. The train slid down from the crumbling railway and soon created a large mass of broken debris.

Whole buildings swayed and crumbled at such power. Buildings and highways collapsed or toppled over to become nothing more than dust as the ground under such things gave out and caved in. All the people knew fear, and no hiding place was safe; those standing soon lost their footing and fell just as the buildings did.

Noise - the commotion of things: falling, breaking, and people screaming - rang true through the entire city. Rocks crumbled and broke apart, children cried, and men called out before being cut off as they were crushed or fell.

A soft tremor was felt in Osaka. Fuuko sensed the shaking of the ground and she ducked down. The tremble ended and she scurried out of the building, thinking what just happened at the other areas. Pressure grew on her mind unconsciously and she began thinking about Tokiya.

Just as the eruption of chaos had reached its peak, all began to slowly grow calm. The shaking, the fury, slowly began to subside until at last it was gone altogether. Soon, a hush fell over everything as rock began to settle, no one trusting the break to mean it was over just yet.

As minutes ticked by, it slowly sank in that whatever had happened was over now, men, women, and children carefully peeking out from their hiding spots to take in the damage. Nothing could be seen but the dazed looks on people's faces as dust and sand began to settle.

A year had passed after the Great Hanshin Earthquake — an earthquake that destroyed many infrastructures and the lives of many. It was January 17, the same date of the earthquake. People gathered around the Higashi Yuenchi Park, beside the Kobe City Hall as well as in Kobe Luminarie, a small city of lights that was built in Kobe for those who died.

Fuuko sat in front of the television set seeing what the people were doing. She smiled. She looked up at the people who still remembered the tragic event. She cradled a young boy on her hands and went out of the house. She brought with her a bouquet of white flowers and incense; and headed for the park. She wiped off the snow on top of the cold marble and placed the flowers on top. She lit up the incense and prayed.

She thought about him, and his funny way of smiling; the way one side of his lips curled up more than the other; the way the dimple appeared on both sides of his cheeks anyway. She remembered him running, so strong, so healthy; he looked like he would live forever with his cheeks so red and rosy, almost like a Greek god.

She sighed after a while and thought. _Even if I wasn't able to see and talk to you properly after the incident, I still see you in our child. God took you too early but I think it's a sign of something new. There isn't going to be a day that I will not catch one last glimpse of you. _

AN: I would be very pleased to know how it is. Reviews are very much appreciated.


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